Community Corner

Vienna Girl's Wish To See Justin Bieber Comes True

After thousands rally for 10-year-old who lost her brother in September's floods, Margaret Donaldson will travel to Los Angeles on Sunday to see the pop star perform

Ten-year-old Margaret Donaldson hasn't had much to smile about since September, when her brother, Jack Donaldson, 12, of a Vienna creek near their home.

But she'll surely be smiling on Sunday.

A to help Margaret see Justin Bieber kicked off in mid-October after Margaret joked with her father about arranging a private concert with the pop star. Unbeknownst to Margaret, thousands of people across the country reached out to television shows, music agents and Justin Bieber himself on Facebook and with the Twitter hashtag #JBLiftMargaret, telling them her story and asking for a special favor.

Find out what's happening in Viennafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Earlier this month, Margaret found out she will be flown to Los Angeles to see "the Biebs" perform at the American Music Awards on Nov. 20.

"She’s excited," said Liz Whiston-Dean, Margaret's aunt.  "They’re going to get to go to California and she’s especially excited to see him perform live."

Find out what's happening in Viennafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Coca-Cola, Delta and Hilton hotels are helping sponsor the trip and will pay to fly Margaret and her mother Anna Donaldson to the west coast. They'll be getting the VIP treatment, Whiston-Dean said. 

And it's all thanks to everyone who has taken to Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere. Friends, family members and even complete strangers posted information about Margaret's wish online. They tweeted Justin Bieber. One woman even created an entire Facebook page about the mission.

"It’s been so wonderful – this outpouring," Whiston-Dean said. "It’s paid off. So much kindness."

On her blog, "An Inch of Gray," Anna Donaldson, Margaret's mother, thanks everyone - known and unkonwn - who helped grant her daughter's wish.

"Your phone calls, your tweets, your prayers, your willingness to reach out on Facebook and through your blogs to a family you may only have heard about in the 'virtual' world…every little bit made a difference. Whether or not your phone call or email was the one that secured these awesome opportunities, you extended yourself to try to bring some excitement, some distraction, and some pleasure at a time of deep mourning," Donaldson wrote.

"It was a generous outpouring of love from people who, to a large extent, have probably felt pretty helpless in regards to our little family, especially since no one can give us what we truly want and need-- Jack back here with us. I will never be able to know every detail of what each person has done for us or be able to thank you adequately, but please know what you have done has touched us deeply. When I’m going through hell, and unfortunately that is what it feels like most days, I’m so glad you are on my side."

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